Presently, one of the most serious illnesses facing the world is the viral infection, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). This infection is caused by a virus, designated HIV, or one of its variants. These contain RNA which is coated with a protein shell. The virus affects the T-cells (lymphocytes) of the body as well as other immune-oriented cells (i.e., glial cells in the brain). This effect results in a serious reduction of the body's immunological ability to fight disease and the various bacterial, viral and fungal entities which constantly are in the environment. The fact that a virus becomes a part of cells themselves makes it difficult to affect them adversely without harm to the host. Current methods of treatment involve the use of chemotherapeutic agents. AZT is one choice, but the side-effects are very significant.
The AIDS virus causes problems in an infected individual through the production of alterations in the cell function. These alterations are produced through the interaction of the virus and subcellular components, nuclear protein being one example.
A method of treatment of the virus and viral-infected cells is clearly desirable. To be completely successful, the treatment should kill the invading organism while causing substantially no harm to host tissue. Also, a treatment should produce little or no chance for the organism being treated to become tolerant or resistant to the treatment method.
One method applied to organisms in general, including viruses, is to focus upon a particular aspect of the infectious organism's metabolism which differs from that of the host cells. Rather than interfering with cellular pathways as antibiotics do, this method exploits the organism's routine use of that pathway in such a way that it may be turned against the organism, thus killing it. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,922 of R. T. Gordon. However, it is not disclosed that this method is applicable to HIV and related viruses.